


Five

by sleaze_em



Series: Lokir of Rorikstead [5]
Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Angst, Anxiety, Canon Compliant, Minor Character Death, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-06
Updated: 2020-01-06
Packaged: 2021-04-22 06:15:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22151086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleaze_em/pseuds/sleaze_em
Summary: The Khajiit, giving news.
Series: Lokir of Rorikstead [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1582192
Kudos: 5





	Five

Standing before the doors of the alchemy shop, the Khajiit was nervous. Though, this wasn’t the kind of nervous she felt when she had to step before the Jarl of Whiterun, or the kind of nervous she felt when she was cornered by the undead Nords in the tombs across the countryside. Once again, she was struck with the odd dichotomy between the way Solitude looked and the way she always felt when she was there.

It had been a few weeks since the Khajiit first came to Solitude. The Haafingar capital had left a foul taste in her mouth: her arrival had coincided with the execution of a citizen. She’d swallowed the lump in her throat which had grown at the sound of the axe striking, and quickly walked further into town. She had come to the city searching for alchemical ingredients while she had no pressing duties, something which was now a rare occasion. (She hadn’t needed ingredients since the encounter with the witch. Her cabin had been stuffed to the teeth with alchemy supplies, once the Khajiit was willing to enter the cellar and get them.) Solitude almost seemed too pretty to have had an execution in broad daylight; lavender drifted in the breeze and the unimpeded sunlight left the whole city bathed in a warm glow. 

Upon finding and alchemy supply store, the Khajiit had walked in, immediately greeted by a kind older woman. She introduced herself as Angeline Morrard, and she’d spoken of her past making perfumes while perusing her shelves for that which the Khajiit had requested. 

As the Khajiit was paying for her blue dartwing－something which had been quite new to her: having money to buy things－Angeline was quiet for a moment, then had asked “You’re a traveler, correct? Have you ever been to Whiterun?”

The Khajiit had answered in the affirmative, and listened as Angeline explained about her daughter, and Imperial soldier named Fura, before offering to find out about her. Angeline had been so grateful, and the Khajiit had been grateful to have a task which didn’t involve the risk of her life for the first time in weeks.

So, of course, upon exiting the shot to find Captain Aldis and enquire after the wellbeing of Fura Morrard, the Khajiit had immediately been assaulted by thugs.

The Khajiit, as shameful as she felt about it, forgot about Angeline and her daughter. As the Dragonborn, she had what might be the most responsibility of anyone in Tamriel at the moment, and constantly found herself protecting town from dragons, or searching through ruins, or hiking up mountains. She had only recalled her promise to Angeline when she found herself running into Captain Aldis while seeking out General Tullius. The Khajiit mentally cursed herself before asking him about Fura. 

The Captain had been reluctant to share the information of Fura Morrard’s death with her. She understood his reluctance, because now she was reluctant to provide the information to Angeline.

So, these nerves the Khajiit felt as she stood outside of Angeline’s Aromatics, weeks later, were strange to her, yet familiar. She was worried that Angeline would be angry with her having taken so long, only to be crushed when the Khajiit actually told her the news.

_This one would rather be fighting a dragon than telling a mother that her kit has died. _ Casting that thought aside, she let out a sigh, and entered Angeline’s for the second time. 

Angeline was facing the back shelves, and called out about her salves and poultices when she heard the door open. When she turned around, she recognized the Khajiit, and asked is she had spoken with Captain Aldis yet. After a moment, the Khajiit found her voice, and told Angeline that she had. The older woman seemed oblivious to her hesitance, blinded by optimism. “What did he say?”

For the first time since she entered, the Khajiit made eye contact with Angeline. The alchemist deserved that, at least. The Khajiit told her about Fura, and watching Angeline’s face fall was the second worst thing she had seen in Solitude. She silently listened as the older woman told her how she knew the army would be the death of her daughter, not wanting to say anything to further upset her. She did not shout at the Khajiit, neither for bringing her bad news nor taking so long to do it. Angeline was still thankful, and the Khajiit bowed her head and respectfully took her leave.

As the Khajiit reached the door, she heard Angeline say aloud to her, in a voice weak from grief, "I hope your parents are proud of you. They have a lot of reason to be."

The Khajiit's hand curled into a fist. The tears that came to her eyes shocked her in her ferocity; she turned her hear toward the ceiling, waiting for them to recede. Once they had, she pulled her claws from her palm, and exited Angeline's Aromatics for the second time.

**Author's Note:**

> take a shot for every time I use the word "had."


End file.
